Static and Dynamic Approaches on the Low-Rise RC Frames Capacity Evaluation and Damage Quantification

The seismic capacity evaluation is a key-tool for practitioners in the standard post-design stage of building structures. This also serves as a major component for performing higher level analysis modules as seismic vulnerability analysis, risk analysis, loss estimation and resilience analysis. The seismic capacity of a structure is dependent of the applied load pattern as well as of nonlinear modelling of members. The paper examines the dependency of capacity curve parameters of typical low-rise regular reinforced concrete frames as a large proportion from actual building stock in Bucharest, using both nonlinear static and dynamic analysis approaches as well as discrete and distributed available plasticity models for reinforced concrete members. The sensitivity analysis of global seismic damage index based on the probabilistic approach using HAZUS methodology (2007) is then performed. A more accurate prediction of structural capacity in conjunction with integrated tools for the assessment of the damage states up to progressive collapse associated to various earthquake scenarios and time-domain analysis approach would truly lead implementing a real performance-based seismic design into practice.